The first attempt of the afternoon came from the visitors with James McShane testing Taylor Seymour early with an effort from the edge of the area. Burgess Hill’s first chance of the game fell to the evergreen Pat Harding, a cross from the right was dummied by Max Miller into his path but from 15 yards out his effort was blocked by a Wanderers defender. The Hillians showed no sign of any early nerves as Lewis Finney produced some nice skill and ambitiously tried his luck as the Hill made a good start. Bobby Jo Taylor curled a free kick over the bar as the chances kept flowing for both sides in the opening 10 minutes. Our visitors should have opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Jason Prior broke the offside trap and fed James McShane but with only Seymour to beat he rather tamely shot straight at the Hillians stopper. Dorking didn’t have to wait much longer to open the scoring as minutes later, a Niall McManus cross was only half cleared by Marvin Hamilton straight to Luke Moore on the edge of the box who hit the sweetest half volley into the top corner leaving Seymour with no chance. Dorking were really starting to dominate proceedings with chances coming frequently for them, Taylor took aim once again but the left back couldn’t keep his effort down. Jason Prior is a man who has a habit of scoring against the Hill and should have done so in the 25th minute, a cross from the left was perfect for him but he missed his kick when it seemed easier to score. Lewis Finney was a bright spark for the Hillians throughout the first half, he won the ball back well and drove at the Wanderers but again some good defending denied him a clear opportunity on goal. He did muster an effort minutes later though when he spotted Slav Huk off his line and tried to chip him but the keeper got back just in the nick of time. Former Hillian Nicky Wheeler almost found a second for the visitors, as he got past Reggie Ward too easily and crossed to the back post where again Prior fluffed his lines, heading wide when he really should have hit the target. Jordi Ndozid almost managed to get in behind the Dorking defence when he played a neat give and go with Finney but his touch let him down at the crucial moment and Huk was able to come and smother the ball. You got the feeling it wasn’t going to be Jason Prior’s day when a Taylor free kick landed right on his head but he nodded wide again. As the half drew to a close Dorking tried to finish the half with a second goal but Josh Taylor couldn’t keep his effort down.

HT: 0-1.

Dorking started the second half purposefully, eager to put the game out of reach, another chance went begging for Prior as he diverted a cross over the bar. Taylor Seymour got down really sharply to his right to tip Nick Wheeler’s fizzer around the post as the pressure was beginning to build. Jason Prior had his umpteenth chance when played through down the right but he shot straight at Seymour in a frustrating afternoon for the former Bognor hitman. In the 63rd minute, Dorking doubled their lead. As the Hillians went on a rare foray forward they lost the ball and Dorking broke, Bobby Jo Taylor carried the ball from the edge of his own box to the edge of our box before thumping an effort past Seymour which perhaps he will be disappointed not to have kept out. 2 quickly became 3 as the Wanderers pulled clear. Taylor turned provider as he whipped a free kick onto the head of Ed Harris who nodded home. Former Worthing man Callum Kealy was next to test Seymour after a lovely Dorking move but he fired straight at Hillians stopper from a tight angle. Connor Tighe did muster a shot on target for the Hillians moments after coming on but it was fairly routine for Huk who was a spectator for the most part. The Hill were indebted to a goal saving challenge from Marvin Hamilton as he thwarted Jimmy Muitt when he raced clean through. The 2 second half goals had flattened the Hill and it was all very comfortable for Dorking. Barry Fuller was next to unleash on Seymour’s goal but he fired wide. It was very nearly a fourth in the 82nd minute, Jimmy Muitt cut in from the left and his effort deflected off George Brown and onto the post. That post was under siege as just minutes later the impressive Bobby Jo Taylor beat 2 Hillians down the right before smacking the same post and George Brown blocked Ed Harris’s rebound. The National South side were getting very unlucky in the closing stages, Josh Taylor forced the busy Seymour into a good save before the same player struck the other post and the rebound was volleyed wide. It was wave after wave of Dorking attacks as the Hillians grew more tired, Kealy was the latest man to force Seymour into a save as the time was ticking away. It was almost 4 in added time as Ed Harris smacked a header against the bar but the visitors got their fourth when a corner was kept out by Seymour but the rebound fell to Callum Kealy to slam home with the last kick of the game.

FT: 0-4.

A tough day at the office against a strong National League South outfit. As attention now turns back to the league. where it’s time to start picking up points.

We take a break now and return to action on the 28th when we travel to Whitehawk for a Sussex derby.